Terminal service box



Patented June 3, 1924.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM B. nnnss'r, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

TERMINAL SERVICE BOX.

Application filed September 23, 1921. Serial No. 502,895.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ILL-1AM B. Hnnssr, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and 5 State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTerminal Service Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description. of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

The present invention relates generally to the insulation and protectionof the terminals or connections of electrical conductors,- and aims toprovide a novel'and eliicient device for use at the point where aservice cable enters a building, for sealing the cable against moisture,conductive dust agents and the like, as well as preventing electrostaticdischarge either between the conductors of the cable or between theconductors and the grounded cable sheath, and the device also protectingthe conductors between the cable conduit and consumers conduit, toprevent theft of current or tampering with or injuryto such conductors,where they establish connections between the service conductors leadinginto the building and the consumers conductors or load wires of thebuilding;

Another object is the provision of such a device comprising a casing toreceive the terminal of the cable and having" means for attachment'tothe end of the cable conduit,

and'mea'ns for insulating and sealing the terminal of the cable in anovel manner.

A further object is the provision of a novel casing of that kind havinga sealing chamber for the terminal of the cable 40 sheathand aconnection chamber for the terminals of the cable and consumersconductors and inwhich chamber the connec tions or joints between suchconductors are madefand to which access can be had under certainconditions to prevent unauthorized access to the conductors.

A'still further object is the provision of such a casing having a shelfor partition therein arranged to receive and support an insulator in anovel manner for the passage of the cable conductors from the sealingchamber into the connection chamber.

It is also. the object of the invention to providesuch a terminalservice box which 5 is simple and inexpensive in construction,

as well as being thoroughly practical and portions being broken away,and the in-"- sulating filler or material being removed,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2&2- of Fig. 1 showing theinsulating filler'o'rcompound in the sealing chamber. v

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section'on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a casing constructedout of sheet metal or other suitable material, and of suitable sizeaccording to the crosssectional area of the conductors and otherconditions. This casing includes the back wall 7, side walls 8, top 9and bottom 10. The side walls, top. and bottom'have inturned flanges 11at their forward edges for the abutment and at-- tac'hm'ent of upper andlower front pahelsss or closures 12 and 13, respectively,- whichcomprises a removable sectional front wall: of the casing. Said panelsor'closures overlap the flanges 11 and are secured thereto by means ofscrews 14 or the like. 7

Between the top and bottomof the casing there is disposed a shelf orpartition 15 ofsheet metal or other suitable material which; divides theeasing into a sealing chamber.

underneath the shelf or partition and a con 95...

nection chamber above said shelf. Said shelf is disposed in the planeofdivision between the panels 12 and 13 of the :Eront of the casing,wherebythe panel 12 closes the, upper connection chamber, while thepanel 13 closes the lower sealing chamber. Said shelf has flanges 1 6 atopposite edges bearing againstand secured to the sidewalls 8. of thecasing, for supporting said shelf, in place. Although the casing isshown-and described in upright position. it can be usedin otherpositions if desired or necessary. under different conditions.

The shelf or partition 15 not only sepa-- rates the two chambers, butalso serves as an 110 insulator support, and, for this purpose, theshelf has'a tapered slot 17 extending rearwardly fromthe front edgethereof to receive the insulatorlS which may be of glass, porcelain orother insulating material, and which is slid rearwardly into the slotbefore the panels 12 and 13 are applied to the casing, so that saidinsulator bears against the rear closed end of the slot. The lower panel13 is provided at its upper edge with a ton ue 19extending rearwardly atan angle to I t Within the slot 17, said tongue being tapered to readilyenter the slot when panel 13 is applied to the casing. The tongue 19also has a'concaved notch 20 at its rear end to fit the insulator 18.Said insulator has a shoulder 21 to seat on the shelf 15, and a flaredportion 22 under the shoulder to engage under the shelf, whereby theinsulator is retained within the opening when the panel or closure 13 isapplied to the casing and the tongue 19 held within the slot 17. Saidinsulator has apertures 23 extending from within the portion 22 to theupper end or top of the insulator, for the upward passage of theterminals of the cable conductors. There may be two or more conductors24, and the insulator 18 has a corresponding number of apertures for theupward passage of said conductors through the insulator. V

The cable includes the usual lead sheathing 25 covering the conductors24, and the back wall 7 of the casing has an opening 26 below the shelf15 for the entry of the cable from the cable conduit 27 into the sealingchamber under the shelf, the cable sheathing 25 terminating within saidchamber, while the terminals of the conductors are extended or insertedupwardly through the insulator 18 before the panel or closure 13 isapplied to the casing.

The casing is secured to the end of the conduit 27 which enters thebuilding as a branch from the main conduit, according to well knownpractice. Thus, a flange ring 28 is screw-threaded or otherwise securedon the endof the conduit 27 and is secured to the walls 7 'of the casingby means of screws 29 or the like, which are preferably engaged throughsaid wall and into the ring 28 from the inside of the casing, so thatthe conduit 27 and casing cannot be detached from the exterior. The openend of the'conduit 27 is preferably closed by a plug 30 of cement orother suitable material.

After the casing has been secured to the end of the conduit, and theterminals of the conductors 25 of the cable inserted upwardly throughthe insulator 18 which has been slid into the slot 17, the panel orclosure 13 is now secured to vthe casing and its tongue 19 will closethe slot 17 and retain the insulator in place. A' suitable sealingcompound or insulating and non-magnetlc material is the 7 then pouredinto the sealing chamber to fill said chamber and provide an insulatingfiller-'31 filling said chamber and surrounding the terminal of thecable sheathing 25 and also fixing the insulator 18 and conductors 24:in place. The filler 31 in surrounding the flared portion low thepartition 15 will anchor or fix the insulator to the filler, and suchinsulator being embedded or secured to the filler cannot be loosened orremoved even though the panel or closure 13 is removed, unless thefiller is broken out. The shelf or partition 15 has an opening 32through which the insulating compound can be readily poured when thepanel or closure 12 is removed from the casing. The insulating compoundis of a material to harden or set, thereby providing a solid mass ofinsulating material around the terminal of the cable sheathing. Theterminals of the conductors are therefore also insulated from oneanother by such material where they leave the- ,sheathing and pass tothe insulator, to prevent electro-static discharge between saidconductors or between them and the sheath:

casing above the shelf 15 to enter the connection chamber, and saidterminal is secured-to said wall by means of nuts 34 or the like. Theconsumers conductors orload wires 35, which extend through said conduit33, have their terminals extending within the connection chamber of thecasing, and connected, as at 36, with the projecting terminals of thecable conductors. Such connections are conveniently made in said chamberwhen the panel or closure 12 is removed, and said panel is then securedto the casing,

and is preferably sealed to prevent the re moval of said panel orclosure without breaking the seal, thereby avoidingv unauthorized accessto the conductor terminals between the cable and consumers conduits:

However, the seal can be broken andfthe panel or closure 12 removed for.access to said terminals when required, but access to the sheathing 25cannot be had without removing the panel or closure 1 3and break ing outthe filler 31. V

The device thus affords adequate protection against the unauthorizedaccess to the conductors between the conduits 27 and 33, as well asinsulating the cable sheathing and conductors in a highly efficientmanner, and

I protecting them from moisture, dust, and the 22 of the insulator belike. Only the terminals of thecable conductors are free and exposedwithin the connection chamber of the'casing or box. By the provision ofthe two chambers and panels or closures therefor, the terminal of thecable can be trimmed and the conductors inserted through the insulatorinto the connection or service chamber, and the sealing chamber thenclosed and filled with the sealing compound, leaving the connection orservice chamber open for the'connection of the conductors, with aseparate closure for such chamber in order that repairs can be made whenthe panel or closure 12 is removed. The casing or housing can be usedfor any potential that is permissible with the conduit wiring.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1- 1. Adevice of the character described comprising a casing having a sealingand a connection chamber and a partition between them, said partitionhaving a slot, an insulator to be inserted in said slot, said casinghaving means for the entrance of a cable sheathing into said sealingchamber for the passage of the cable conductors through said insulatorinto the connection chamber, and closures for said chambers, saidinsulator having a portion to be anchored in a filler in the sealingchamber.

2. A device of the character described comprising a casing having twochambers and a partition between them, said partition having a slot forreceiving an insulator, and a closure for the casing having a portion toenter said slot and hold the insulator in place.

3. A device of the character described comprising a casing having twochambers and a partition between them, said partition having a slot forreceiving an insulator, and separate closures for said chambers, oneclosure having a tongue to enter said slot and retain the insulator inplace.

4. A device of the character described comprising a casing havingsealing and connection chambers, and a partition between them saidpartition having a slot for receiving an insulator, the casing havingmeans for attachment to a cable conduit for the entrance of a cable intothe sealing chamber and for the passage of the cable conductors throughsuch insulator, a closure for the sealing chamber having a portion to enter said slot and retain the insulator in place, and a separate closurefor the connection chamber.

5. A device of the character described comprising a casing having asealing and a connection chamber and a partition between them, saidpartition having a slot, an insulator inserted in said slot, the casinghaving means for attachment to a cable conduit for the entrance of thecable sheathing into the sealing chamber and for the extension ofthecable conductors through said insulator into the connection chamber, aclosure for the sealing chamber having a tongue entering said slot forholding the insulator in place, an insulating filler in the sealingchamber to embrace the sheathing, and a separate closure for theconnection chamber. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to thisspecification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM B. HERBST. Witnesses:

FRANK SCHWARTZ, W. G. WHITLINGER, Jr.

